I Hate You but I Love You
by MadBlossomingPrincess
Summary: All Mana wanted to do was get over Atem, to move on after thirteen years of wanting someone who didn't want her. But how was she supposed to do that when all of a sudden, he started paying attention to her?


MBP: So, I've had this idea for a while, but I lost Mana and Amane was an evil monster and I couldn't stop writing her. So, she gets a side story that goes with this one, where there's a little more info on Amane, some info that ties with this, and... well, it's the only way I could get Amane out enough to start writing Mana.

Rini: Seriously. She had to keep writing Amane before anything in this happened.

MBP: IT MADE FOR A GOOD TIMELINE TO KEEP TRACK OF STUFF.

Rini: Anyway, we own nothing! Hope you enjoy!

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_**Chapter one**_

Mana looked in the mirror, taking a few deep breaths before bounding down the steps loudly, announcing her presence without words. Who needed words when jumping was loud enough to jolt Mahaad out of whatever Isis-induced daze he was in?

Plus, if she wasn't loud enough, then she got to tease him over being so loopy over Isis and that was always amusing in the morning.

Unfortunately, Mahaad had not been dazed, Isis-induced or not, and the only comment she got was about being so loud too early in the morning. How he ever got a girlfriend when he was absolutely no fun was beyond her, but Mana couldn't really complain. He was a lot better now that he was dating Isis.

Except…

Mana lost her appetite seeing Isis come out of Mahaad's bedroom, nearly spitting out her orange juice in shock. Had she known that Mahaad had gone that far, she wouldn't have teased him so much! Hell, had she known that, she would never have allowed anyone to call him a prude!

There was a woman coming out of his bedroom in the early morning and she was wearing one of his shirts! This was so weird!

"Hi Isis! Good morning! You know what, I think I'm gonna walk with Amane today! I'll just go dash over there before she leaves and we can hang out and… talk! Yeah, talk! We've got lots of things to talk about! Bye!"

She didn't wait for Mahaad to refuse to let her go –he wasn't fond of Amane for some weird reason- and dashed out, grabbing at her bag absently as she went.

She so did not need some morning after conversation with her brother's girlfriend, because while Isis was totally cool and all, that would be really really awkward and Mana had enough to be awkward about.

For one, being a first-year was never any fun. She was back to being at the bottom of the social ladder, and classes really sucked, and she wasn't in class with Miho or Kisara anymore.

For another, her love life was non-existent. She was sixteen years old, didn't have a boyfriend, had never had a boyfriend, and it didn't look like she was going to get one anytime soon. Maybe that was her fault, since she had been in love with the same person since she was three, and had never tried, but still! Sixteen and no guy had liked her! It was a little sad.

And no, having Tristan propose when they were six did not count. In fact, that made it even worse.

Still, that was a big part of her plans for the year. Yes, school was important, but what good would book learning be if she wasn't able to learn about people and relationships from experience? So, Mana's big _Plans for the Year number 1_ was to get a boyfriend.

Shallow, yes. Healthy for her own mind and ability to form other relationships? A very big yes.

"My life is so weird," Mana sighed out loud, rubbing at her stomach when it growled. It was probably a mistake to have skipped breakfast, but how could she have eaten in the same room as them?

Gods, her own brother was getting laid and she hadn't even had her first real kiss. How pathetic was that?

"Hey there Hot Shit," Bakura didn't bother looking up as Mana just waltzed into the house, far too used to it at this point.

"Morning. Hey Ryou, is Amane… Bacon!" Mana grabbed a piece of bacon with a grin, plopping herself down on a chair easily. "Ryou, you are the greatest person ever. Are you sure you're totally devoted to Miho?"

"Considering the long one-sided conversations, I would say he is," Amane nudged her brother easily, reaching for her own bacon easily. "And no Mana, you cannot date my brother just for bacon. However, if you wanted to date the other one –however unlikely- you'd be able to get some better stuff."

"Nope!" Mana shifted, adjusting her bag absently. "Hey, you still have all that stuff, right?"

"I can do your makeup on the way, and you've got nice hair and that'll be easy to fix," Amane wasn't paying attention, eating quickly before looking at her brother. "But we should get going if you want to get there a little early. Let the world see the new, improved Mana before the boredom of classes sets in."

"Oh, I have to be improved huh?" Mana teased, letting herself be pulled up out of her chair, grabbing the last piece of bacon with a laugh at Amane's face. "Fine, fine, let's get going!"

They had started walking, Amane a little behind as she started playing with Mana's hair. She seemed torn between a loose bun, or a high ponytail like Miho's, but it seemed like the bun was winning. "So, how'd you get Mahaad to let you walk with a juvenile delinquent like me?"

"He didn't get a chance," Mana admitted with a grimace. "I ran out after Isis walked out of his bedroom."

"Oh, Isis was there? You could have… WHAT?"

"Yeah, and it's not fair that his girlfriend is staying the night and I don't have a boyfriend at all!" Mana warmed to her topic, walking slower as Amane pulled out her makeup with an incredulous look. "See, this is why I'm so getting over Atem, like… now. Because if I have to suffer and lack the ability to form meaningful romantic relationships all my life, then I'm totally screwed. And not in a good way!"

"Okay, enough dropping of the bombs!" Amane almost messed up her friend's blush out of shock, a new thing for her. "First you tell me Mahaad isn't as much of a prude as I thought, and then it's suddenly getting over the boy you've crushed on for thirteen years? Who are you and what have you done with Mana?"

"I am Mana and I have gotten myself a reality check," Mana replied, not surprised at Amane's proficiency with the makeup as they walked. "Why would I remain obsessed with someone who only sees me as a little sister and nothing else? After all, that just means I'm going to live a lonely, unsatisfying life if I do!"

"You have a point… it's really weird, but you have a point. And I don't like Atem anyway, so this is a good thing."

"Why don't you like Atem again?" That was one thing that always confused Mana. After all, they never seemed to have any problems when they were actually around each other.

"Dude, if I hear you cry over that idiot again, that will be one time too many," Amane made Mana stop for a second, reaching for eyeliner. "It's already been too much."

"It was one time!" Mana protested, crossing her arms stubbornly, even pouting a little. She did not need to remember that time, considering how she'd practically stormed into the Bakura household to get to Amane.

"And I was ready to kill him for it," Amane replied easily, applying Mana's mascara before shoving everything back into her bag hurriedly. "Alrighty girl, we've got the makeup, your hair is cooperating, and you look good. Let's go surprise some boys and break some hearts!"

Mana hesitated before nodding, taking another deep breath after another. She rarely wore makeup, partly because Mahaad was against it, and partly because she just never did. It seemed like too much work to impress people, and there was only ever one person she wanted to notice her.

But maybe she'd reconsider it after all. It was… nice, feeling pretty and powerful, and have people actually look at her with interest in their eyes. It was a good feeling, one that couldn't necessarily be taken away easily.

Maybe she would have Amane teach her makeup stuff… after all, Amane always seemed to look really good, and guys definitely were into her…

"Mana! Miho was looking for you earlier, because Miho found your scarf and… Mana looks so pretty!" Miho was waving around a piece of pink fabric, one that was not going to be useful for a few months yet.

"Tell you what Miho, you keep that scarf. A reward for finding it." It was always easy to placate Miho, even if Ryou wasn't around to divert her attention. "Hey Kisara, long time no see."

Kisara tucked a piece of hair behind her ear, smiling at her friends easily. "Hi Mana. Amane got her hands on you?"

"Hey, she was perfectly willing!" Amane protested, shoving her own hair back with a frown. "In fact, she was practically begging me to give her a makeover! Now, if only we could change up the clothes…"

"Mahaad would throw a fit," Kisara added in, eyes lighting up. There was something going on, and she was sure one of them would explain it to her later. "You know that would never work."

"Maybe he'll be better off since he's getting laid," Amane muttered, earning herself a loud groan from Mana. If there was one thing that did not need to be passed around today…

"….I did not need to hear that."

"Getting laid?" Miho tilted her head with a confused frown. "Mahaad?"

"Changing the subject!" Mana waved her hands in the air with a loud shout. "We're going to come up with a day to hang out and do something fun! Like plan out a party or something!"

"Party! Whoo hoo, we'll have Kisara convince Kaiba to use his place!" Amane was joking… right? Probably, because Kaiba would never allow them to throw a party at his home, especially if Mana was involved.

"That would never…"

"Good morning Mana."

The three words had Mana nearly jumping out of her skin, whirling around to see the speaker. "Oh hi Atem! Good morning! How are you doing? How's Yugi? I haven't seen him in a while!"

Atem looked slightly confused, probably from seeing the makeup and the hyperactive talking that had come completely out of nowhere. "I'm alright. Yugi's doing well, though he's with Tea a lot of the time. I'm not surprised you haven't seen him around."

"Oh, right!" Mana would have started ranting again, except Amane managed to stomp on her foot hard enough to make her stop. "Um… yeah. We were just talking about arranging a party or something so we can all hang out! Maybe at Kaiba's?"

"Kaiba? Throw a party?" Atem sounded skeptical, and with good reason. Out of all of them, except maybe Kisara, Atem would know Kaiba the best.

Still, even Mana could figure out that they definitely needed somewhere else to throw a party. Maybe Mahaad would allow them to all hang out at their house…

"Mana?" Atem tapped her forehead twice, and when Mana glanced at the others, they were throwing her amused looks. He had been trying to say something, but for the life of her, Mana couldn't figure out what it was.

"I'm sorry, I was just…" The warning bell rang just as Mana was about to explain her thinking about the party. "I should… go. Would hate to be late to class, right?"

"She's right. Come on Miho, we can catch Ryou on the way," Kisara ushered her friend off, glancing back with a wave. Amane didn't even bother with that, walking as slowly as she could to get to class, even stopping a few times to talk to a few classmates.

Mana couldn't just dash off though, not without seeming weirder around Atem than she already did, so she grinned at him. "Hey Atem, I'll talk to you later, okay? I should make sure Amane actually makes it to class."

She was halfway turned around when she felt a hand wrap around hers gently, tugging her back slightly. "I'll see you later Mana."

Atem smiled back at her, whistling quietly as he walked off, hands in his pockets. Mana tried not to stare, tried to make herself walk, but it took a very long moment.

How the hell was she supposed to get over him when he was just so… so… _him_?

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MBP: All done! This is kinda a... well, I had to start and get some plot down. This is Mana getting over Atem, but not getting over Atem.

Rini: It makes more sense as the story goes. Or if you're in the same room and hear all the random stuff that never makes it in here. coughcoughTimacoughcough

MBP: Anyway, hope you enjoyed and let me know what you think!


End file.
